Mechanism for opening sheets



April 15, 1930.

MECHANISM FOR OPENING SHEETS Filed Oct. 24, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,w/r/vgases I Ljgmhm R. EDWARDS 1,754,852

April 15, 1930.

R. EDW'ARDS MECHANISM FOR OPENING SHEETS Filed Oct. 24, 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 F l ELZ- nmmm April 15, 1930. R. EDWARDS I MECHANISM FOR OPENING SHEETS Filed Oct. 24, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN 70R WITNESSES Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES ROBERT EDWARDS, OF MARTIN'S FERRY, OHIO MECHANISM FOR OPENING BHEETS Application filed October 24, 1923. Serial No. 870,513.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in the construction of mechanism for opening sheets described and shown in Letters Patent No. 1,372,013,

granted to me March 22, 1921.

It is characteristic of the patented construction that the'small intermediate rolls must be held in position to grip the sheets by the foot lever for the reason that the small rolls to are arranged in such relation to the large rolls, i. e., a substantial distance at one side of a vertical plane coincident with the axes of the large rolls, that when sheets enter between the small and large rolls, a pressure is exerted to force the small rolls from operative position. This dislodging pressure will, in case thicker sheets than the large rolls have been adjusted for are operated on, be so great that the weight of a man will be insuflicient to hold the small rolls in operative relation to the large rolls, and for this reason it is necessary to adjust the-large rolls in case of con siderable variation in the gauge of sheets to be operated on. w The invention described and claimed herein has for its object a construction of mechanism wherein the smaller rolls-are arranged with their axes in or approximately in a vertical plane coincident with the axes of the larger rolls, and the enga ement of the several rolls with sheets is efi ected by the shifting of one of the larger rolls. The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed. as In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification Fig.1 is a sectional elevation of an opening machine embodying the improvements claimed herein; Fig; 2 is a side elevation of a portion, of the mac ine on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 is a top planview of the same. I

In the practice of the invention, the driven rolls 1 and 2 have their necks or journals mounted on bearings 3 and 4 arran ed in 4 windows in the housin 5. The bearings 3 for theupper roll consists of two connected members enclosing the journals of the roll and the upper member is connected by swivel joints to the lower ends of screws 6 which extend up through nuts mounted in the housing the lower ro ciently far to be operated by the mill man.

Between the rolls 1 and 2 is arranged a pair of floating rolls 14 having diameters less than those of the rolls 1 and 2 and so supported as hereinafter described that their axes will be in or approximately in a plane coincident with the axes-of the rolls 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. 2 the journals of the rolls 14 are rotatably mounted in blocks 15 slidably mounted in windows in the housings 5 so that the rolls can move up when a sheet passes in between the lower rolls 2 and the lower one of the pair 14, and also ensures that when a sheet is pressed against the upper roll of the pair by shifting the roll 1, another sheet will be equally gripped between the lower roll of the pair. and the roll 2.

In orderto guide sheets into the bite of the rolls, a suitable uide 15 is arranged in front of the pair of ro ls 14. This guide is preferably formed by a roller having its 'ournals loosely mounted in the blocks 15 as s own in- Fig. 2. As shown, this roll 16 is soarranged relative to the rolls 14 thatits axis must be in a horizontal plane assing between the rolls 14 and it is prefera ly formed of such adiameter that the sheets being supported will be tangential to such roll under normal conditions. v t

In operating this mechanism sheets adhering one to the other are opened by hand at one end or side and are then fed to the machines, the sheets passing on opposite sides of the guide and t eir ends entered between the roll 1 and the up er roll of the pair and between 1P2 and the lower roll of the pair. The handle 13 is then operated to move the roll 1 down, whereby the sheets will be gripped and drawn forward, separation being effected by the roller 16.

It is characteristic of the construction shown herein that the sheets are pulled apart, that is, the lines of pull diverge and it is only when the sheets are more than usualy adherent that the roll 16 will operate as a wed e supplementing the divergent pulls on t e sheets.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. In a machine for opening packs of sheets the combination with a pair of driven rolls of a plurality of rolls disposed intermediate said driven rolls and ada ted to 000 erate therewith, the axes of sai last name rolls being in a lane substantially coincident with the axes 0 said driven rolls and being further adapted for displacement relative to the driven rolls in response to variations in the thickness and number of sheets passing between the driven and intermediate rolls.'

2. In a machine for opening packs of sheets the combination with a pair of driven rolls of a pluralit of rolls disposed intermediate said driven to Is and ada ted to cooperate therewith, the axes of sai last named rolls being in a plane substantially coincident with the axes of said driven rolls and being further adapted for vertical movement in response to variations in the thickness and number of sheets passing between the driven and intermediate rolls.

3. In a machine for opening packs of sheets, the combination of a pair of driven rolls, two rollsarranged intermediate the driven rolls with their axes continuously in or approximately' in a plane coincident with the axes of the driven rolls, the intermediate rolls being movable vertically, means for moving one of the driven rolls vertically to adjust the machine for opening packs of sheets of differentthicknesses, and a guide roller arranged im-' mediately in front of said intermediate rolls. 4. In a machine for opening packs of sheets,

the combination of a housing, a air of driven rolls journaledin the housing, b ocks mounted for vertical movement only in the housing, two rolls arranged intermediate the driven rolls with their axes continuously in a plane coincident'with the axes of the driven rolls and journaled in said blocks, and means for moving one of the driven rolls vertically to ad ust the machine for opening packs of sheets of different thicknesses.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT EDWARDS. 

